Prince George Citizen: Tyrell's Knee Injury "Significant"

The Prince George Citizen[5] is reporting, as learned from sources, that the lower body injury Lightning prospect and Canada winger Dana Tyrell[6] suffered last night is a "significant knee injury."

The newspaper said Tyrell is definitely out of Canada's second exhibition game scheduled for Sunday.

Sources have told The Citizen Tyrell has a knee injury and his participation in the tournament is in serious question -- national junior team officials have not confirmed the reports. Team Canada's first WJC game is Boxing Day against the Czech Republic.

A year ago, Tyrell suffered a knee strain that kept him from being at his best for the national junior team's final selection camp, and he was released, reported The Citizen.

The Citizen continues:

Tyrell set the Air Canada Centre abuzz on Friday night when he leveled star Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman[7] with a clean, hard check along the boards on the first shift of the game. Tyrell was skating on a line with Canadian scoring sensation John Tavares, who is battling with Hedman to go first overall in the upcoming NHL entry draft, and Tyler Ennis, the top forward for the Medicine Hat Tigers. Tyrell's tenacity, work ethic and ability to play a physical game to open up ice for Tavares and Ennis was the reason Quinn and Team Canada scout Al Murray placed Tyrell, who had been slated for a checking role, on the top line.

Tyrell, a 19-year-old from Airdrie, Alta., is a signed second-round draft choice of the Tampa Bay Lightning, having inked a three-year contract less than two weeks ago. Tyrell is in his fourth season as a Cougar, and currently leads the team in scoring with 19 goals, 21 assists and 40 points in 30 games. The Cougars selected Tyrell in the fifth round of the 2004 WHL bantam draft.

If the injury is as serious as indicated by sources, the Cougars will have a difficult time possibly trading Tyrell by the Jan. 10 deadline. Tyrell has been the focus of speculation as the rebuilding Cougars look to add top prospects to build around highly-rated local product Brett Connolly[8].